Bullying prevention is the focus of the new Manteca Unified school board policy for the coming school year. It reflects the added categories as amended by Assembly Bill 9.

Under the new policy, which had its first reading at the Tuesday board meeting prior to final adoption, examples of bullying may include the following: “physical contact such as hitting or pushing, verbal assaults such as teasing or name-calling, and social isolation or manipulation.”

Bullying, as defined in the policy, may also include “communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act.” Anything transmitted by means of an electronic device such as telephone, other wireless communication device, computer, or pager, as well as texts, or posting on social networks on the Internet all fall under the category of electronic act.

The policy likewise provides procedures that would be used to investigate bullying incidents. The district regulation will serve as guide and provide direction to all district employees and school sites on how to deal with bullying and harassment including cyberspace and technology-related bullying.

All students and/or staff are advised to report in a prompt manner all reported incidents of bullying and harassments to the school principal to immediately facilitate corrective action after the concern is verified.

“Staff members are expected to immediately intervene when they see a bullying, harassing, discriminating or intimidating incident occur when safe to do so,” according to the policy.